Impetus
by Rapis-Razuri
Summary: To his puppet, the Silent Dragon grants one wish. [Conquest. Takumi, Sakura]


**Title** : Impetus  
 **Beta** : N/A  
 **Word Count** : 2133  
 **Game** : _Fire Emblem Fates - Conquest  
_ **Characters** : Takumi, Sakura  
 **Notes** : Slight AU

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The guard never saw him coming.

There may have been a time where, once upon a time, the shy, kind-hearted boy that was Prince Takumi of Hoshido might have looked at the body of a Nohrian soldier and felt an uncomfortable squirm in his stomach. He then would have had to repeatedly tell himself that this body had been that of a Nohrian, that Nohrians were evil and deserved to die for thinking they could just take what they wanted from Hoshido, that if he washed his hands soon, he'd feel better, cleaner.

It may also have been the moment where he realized that he felt more pity than hatred, but that time has long since passed.

The shining purple arrow flickered and vanished like smoke in the air. _A clean shot_ , one that may have kept soldiers up and whispering at night. A sniper in the dark, his arrows unseen 'till they meet their mark. It appealed to him, the idea. Better a shadow of vengeance than a failure of a prince, he thought. If Hoshido were to fall, he'll bring down as much of Nohr as he could. It was only fair.

 _But first-_

The interior of the tent wasn't awful. Decently clean, but hastily erected. It was obvious whomever put together this tent did not care much for the comfort of its intended resident. But that's not important as she wouldn't be here for that much longer.

The gate has fallen so Hinoka could only be dead. Ryoma would soon follow if he hasn't already. Mother and Father before them, all taken from him by Nohrian treachery. He couldn't save them, couldn't save Hinata and Oboro and _Hoshido_ , but there was someone he still could. He still had a chance to save _somebody_. He had to save her at least.

Even for a person like him… He could do that, right?

Sakura was curled up under a blanket in the corner of the tent, her pink hair unmistakable even in the night. She peered out from under the blankets when he entered, flinching back when she saw him. She was afraid of him, he could see that. He shouldn't be feeling anything that wasn't related to rage and hate and yet that… hurt.

Maybe she thought he was a Nohrian? It would make sense at least.

"Sakura…" Takumi said softly, letting the purple glow of his weapon fade away, "It's me, Takumi."

There was a moment where she hesitated, but soon she slowly lowered the cover over her head. Sakura rubbed her eyes before taking another look.

She gasped. "B-Big brother…?"

Relief flooded within him. He couldn't see any signs of abuse on her as he had feared, but then again, there were much that could be hidden by clothes. "Yes, it's me, Sakura."

She scrambled up from her makeshift bed, and ran to him, holding him tightly by the middle. Sakura has always been a small girl, but she had never felt more tiny and fragile as she shook in his arms.

"Th-they t-told me y-you w-were _dead!_ " she wailed, "Y-You j-jumped off the wall. I k-know C-Corrin-"

"Don't listen to what that traitor has been telling you," he interrupted, more harshly than he meant to. Hearing that name caused fury to boil within him, but he didn't want to lash out at Sakura. He wanted her to feel safe with him, not fear him. She's suffered enough. "Has he been talking to you?"

"N-No…" She shook her head quickly, "T-The princess… E-Elise, I think h-her name was. S-She let it slip… I-I wasn't supposed to k-know. S-She tried to make me feel better by saying th-they never f-found your body a-and that you might s-still be out there somewhere, b-but…" Despite her haste to explain, Sakura had to stop to blow her nose. "B-But I-I _know_ the Gr-Great Wall!" she continued. It had been a part of their lessons, how the king it was named for tried to build a wall around Hoshido to better protect it, how long it was, how wide, how _high_. "F-From that height… If you had fell…"

She suddenly stiffened and pulled her arms away.

"Sakura…?"

It was faint, but Takumi could feel his sister gingerly prodding his ribs. Somehow, the phantom sensation of being in this body knew that it _should_ hurt and yet it did not. Sakura never gave herself much credit, but he trusted her instincts when it came to injuries. At least, he usually did. He _had_ fallen from that height, but he felt fine. She was just anxious, he told himself. She was like this back in Izumo too, checking for injuries...

She finally withdrew her hand, eyes widened. "Big brother…" she whispered, "Y-Your bones… H-How?"

"It's doesn't matter. All that matter is that it's _okay_ ," Takumi tried to smile reassuringly at her, but judging by her expression, it did not seem to work. So instead took her gently by the shoulder and spoke to her seriously. "The Nohrians are laying siege to Shirasagi right now," he said, ignoring the way she flinched again. "I'm going to get you out of here and make sure they can't hurt you anymore."

"B-But what about my r-retainers? A-And Yukimura?"

 _Are they even still alive?_ "I don't know where they are," he replied despite himself, "But I'll look for them later. Promise. Now, let's go before someone comes along."

She only nodded and followed him out of the tent, grabbing his sleeve when they walked past the dead guard. The route Takumi had planned for them to take was still clear. He could hear the noise of celebration in the distance. He wanted to curse the Nohrians, already celebrating their victory, but it made it easier for them to escape unnoticed.

Once they reached the forest surrounding Konohana River just outside the city, Takumi gave Sakura a little nudge forward. She bit her lip. "A-Aren't you c-coming with me?"

 _Yes_ , Takumi thought.

"No," Takumi answered, turning back to the city. "I have to make them all pay for what they did to us first. They probably already killed Hinoka."

"B-Big Sister Hi-Hinoka?"

"The gate has fallen," he pointed out, "Maybe they took her prisoner too, but I doubt it."

"A-And what about R-Ryoma?"

"They'd never let him live," Takumi replied bitterly. _And neither will his honour_. "So I have to avenge him and Hinoka. They have to pay for taking our parents and siblings from us - and for massacring your soldiers when they surrendered. They're the worst kind of evil and the world is better off without them."

Sakura gasped. She grabbed his arm fiercely. "Th-That's not true!" she protested, "I-It's true th-that there are t-terrible people in Nohr, b-but n-not everyone! P-Princess E-Elise h-has been k-kind to me! She's been b-bring me f-food and things, t-trying to m-make me feel better..."

"Only because they need you alive so they could force you to marry one of _them_!"

Sakura took a step back. He made himself backtrack in his thoughts. "I-I didn't mean to scare you," Takumi mumbled. He and Hinoka had argued on the way back from Izumo and now she was dead. "I'm sorry, Sakura…"

His younger sister fervently shook her head. "N-No, I… I wasn't thinking..." She swallowed, biting her lip as she thought. "M-Maybe you're right. I-I am j-just a p-powerless p-princess. N-Not v-valuable at all. J-Just a pawn to b-be used and thrown away. W-Why else w-would they t-take me i-instead of Hinoka?"

"That's not true," Takumi said softly, "You're not a pawn. You're my sister." _It's that simple_. "And it's okay. You don't have to worry about any of that. I'll kill them. I'll kill them all before any of them can lay a filthy hand on you."

The thought made him smile in an almost giddy sort of anticipation. They've forgotten their place. Forgotten everything he's done for them and given them and left him to rot in a forgotten world.

Sakura gasped softly, raising a hand to her lips. "Y-You're n-not yourself, big brother," she said, taking his free hand. "C-Come with me, to the shrine. Y-You'll feel better once… once it's gone."

For a moment, he stared at her blankly, not understanding what she was referring to. The next, he was suddenly filled with the desire to wrap his hands around her neck and snapping it in two. It would be easy. _So_ easy...

Takumi pushed her away. Sakura had cried out and fell back from the impact, but he didn't have the time to apologize, not when he had this _godawful_ headache to fight down.

"T-Takumi!"

"G-Go…" he gasped. She had to go. She _had_ to… " They… They're coming. He… He says he wants to destroy Nohr. I-I can do it. Make them pay for their betrayal… I… He'll help me if I help him, he says…"

"I d-don't understand..."

"Sakura..."

"No!" she cried, "I don't want to leave you!"

He didn't want her to either, but Takumi had to keep her safe. Maybe that was best done by running with her, focusing all his power in protecting her, not facing down all of Nohr's armies by himself, but this _pain_ … He knew it wouldn't go away until they were all destroyed.

And Takumi knew he couldn't take Sakura with him. She shouldn't have to fall with him… She loved humankind, just like he did centuries ago, but she'll learn soon learn the truth, if she hasn't already. From the messenger Yukimura had sent just before Fort Jinya fell,Takumi had known Sakura must have agreed to surrender to save the lives of her soldiers - only for them to reveal they had been lying to her all along. _Liars and traitors and you can't trust any of them._

But perhaps he should spare her the pain of finding out. All it would take was one shadowy arrow. She could be her brother and mother and father forever. He would see to her other brother and sister after this was done. After all, Garon would be useless once he sat on Hoshido's throne. Foolish mortals and their simple desires, but-

Takumi forced himself to open his eyes and _focus_. Seeing what was simply around him… It was harder than he thought. "Sakura… _Please…_ "

His sister did not move so much as a muscle. Her breathing seemed so shallow now. Was she okay?

Then she lifted herself onto her feet. There was hesitation in her steps as she half ran, half walked away from him. All Takumi could do was to make it so his headache didn't overwhelm him. If he didn't, she would stay to help him and then they'd both get captured. If that were to happen, he would never get his revenge.

"Takumi…" She looked back to him. "W-When it's all over… Will you come find me?"

He forced himself to smile, headache lessened enough to let him make it somewhat convincing. "Y-Yeah, of course. We…" What was it he said to her…? A conversation on the way to Izumo. "We… We're siblings, right? We'll support each other..." _Now that we're all that's left._

"R-Right…" Sakura bowed her head and ran into the forest, disappearing among the cherry trees.

He could only hope she would be okay from here on out. She knew the city and the surrounding areas better than the Nohrians did. She was more capable than she gave herself credit for. Maybe she'll make her way to the shrine and find shelter with the shrine maidens there, assuming they still were. Or she'd find a way to blend in with the crowd somehow. The townspeople knew her, liked her. They'll do their best to protect her, he was sure.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps returning. Sakura reappeared before him. She was looking nervous, holding onto her skirt tightly. Before he could question her, she opened her mouth and said, "I… I don't know if you can hear me, but… I-I just wanted to say… I'm glad you're my brother, Takumi. N-No matter what, I-I'm glad I got to grow u-up with _you_."

Why _wouldn't_ he be able to hear her? "Sakura…" _And I'm glad you're my sister. The best little sister anyone could ask for_ and suddenly, he was having a headache again. Trying not to let his pain show, he could only tell her to "Just _go_ " before the silence could take her too.

She does. There had been a sob, probably more to come, but it was still a mercy. A dying wish, saving one young girl out of thousands, granted to a forsaken puppet.

Trapped in his own body, Takumi could only tremble as he looked back towards his home, still holding his head. In his other hand he clutched the bow that was once cloaked in wind.

 _I… I am..._


End file.
